diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster.go b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
index 99e98786..ed2e6d5f 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
@@ -999,21 +999,19 @@ func (js *jetStream) monitorCluster() {
 	js.setMetaRecovering()
 
 	// Snapshotting function.
-	doSnapshot := func() []byte {
+	doSnapshot := func() {
 		// Suppress during recovery.
 		if js.isMetaRecovering() {
-			return nil
+			return
 		}
 		snap := js.metaSnapshot()
 		if hash := highwayhash.Sum(snap, key); !bytes.Equal(hash[:], lastSnap) {
 			if err := n.InstallSnapshot(snap); err == nil {
 				lastSnap, lastSnapTime = hash[:], time.Now()
-				return snap
 			} else {
 				s.Warnf("Error snapshotting JetStream cluster state: %v", err)
 			}
 		}
-		return nil
 	}
 
 	ru := &recoveryUpdates{
@@ -1088,16 +1086,11 @@ func (js *jetStream) monitorCluster() {
 
 			if isLeader {
 				s.sendInternalMsgLocked(serverStatsPingReqSubj, _EMPTY_, nil, nil)
-				// Install a snapshot as we become leader. We will also send to the cluster.
-				if snap := doSnapshot(); snap != nil {
-					// If we are caught up distribute our current state to followers.
-					if ne, _ := n.Size(); ne == 0 {
-						// Send our snapshot to others to make sure all in sync.
-						n.SendSnapshot(snap)
-					}
-				}
+				// Optionally install a snapshot as we become leader.
+				doSnapshot()
 				js.checkClusterSize()
 			}
+
 		case <-t.C:
 			doSnapshot()
 			// Periodically check the cluster size.
diff --git a/server/raft.go b/server/raft.go
index 017f8947..eda9bd40 100644
--- a/server/raft.go
+++ b/server/raft.go
@@ -939,9 +939,9 @@ func (n *raft) InstallSnapshot(data []byte) error {
 	var state StreamState
 	n.wal.FastState(&state)
 
-	if state.FirstSeq >= n.applied {
+	if n.applied == 0 || len(data) == 0 {
 		n.Unlock()
-		return nil
+		return errNoSnapAvailable
 	}
 
 	n.debug("Installing snapshot of %d bytes", len(data))
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ func (n *raft) InstallSnapshot(data []byte) error {
 	// Remember our latest snapshot file.
 	n.snapfile = sfile
 
-	if _, err := n.wal.Compact(snap.lastIndex); err != nil {
+	if _, err := n.wal.Compact(snap.lastIndex + 1); err != nil {
 		n.setWriteErrLocked(err)
 		n.Unlock()
 		return err
@@ -1289,6 +1289,7 @@ func (n *raft) StepDown(preferred ...string) error {
 			preferred = nil
 		}
 	}
+
 	// Can't pick ourselves.
 	if maybeLeader == n.id {
 		maybeLeader = noLeader